On Labor Day, Robredo calls for ‘ayuda,’ not ‘endo’ for workers

FILE Workers, who opted to continue working despite the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), rush making Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) under the program of Philippines’ Vice-president Leni Robredo, for distribution to frontline workers in different hospitals in the country at a factory in Taytay town, Rizal province, east of Manila on April 24, 2020. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — Saying the labor force has shown itself to be the “strength of the economy” especially during the pandemic, Vice President Leni Robredo on Saturday called for sufficient assistance  to Filipino workers and “concrete actions” to end labor contractualization or the practice of “endo” (end of contract).

In her Labor Day address, Robredo also honored and thanked Filipino workers for their contribution to nation-building and history.

“Sa araw na ito, kinikilala natin ang mga manggagawang Pilipino at ang kanyang ambag sa lipunan at kasaysayan. Maging araw sana ito hindi lamang ng papuri at pasasalamat, kundi pati ng kongkretong aksyon sa mga isyung matagal nang idinadaing ng mga manggagawa: Ang pagtuldok sa ENDO at kontraktuwalisasyon,” she said.

Ending contractualization was one of the centerpieces of President Duterte’s campaign in 2016, but in July 2019, he vetoed the security of tenure (SOT) bill, a day before the much anticipated measure would have lapsed into law.

Contractualization has long been a bone of contention between employers and workers, and in his veto message, Duterte acknowledged that the proposed bill “unduly broadens the scope and definition of prohibited labor-only contracting (LOC), effectively proscribing forms of contractualization that are not particularly unfavorable to the employees involved.”

But Robredo said measures should be in place to ensure that workers here and abroad would be protected from abuse and would not be wanting in assistance from government, especially during this time of the pandemic where some have lost their livelihood.

“Ang pagtiyak na walang manggagawang Pilipinong naaabuso, dito man o sa ibang bansa. At sa harap ng pandemya, ang pagsigurong may sapat na ayuda, suporta para sa mga nawalan ng kabuhayan, maayos na pampublikong transportasyon, at ligtas na mga lugar ng trabaho,” she further said.

“Ipinakita sa atin ng pandemya: Ang manggagawang Pilipino ang lakas ng ating ekonomiya. Sama-sama nating itaguyod ang kanilang mga karapatan at kapakanan,” she added.

On Friday, the Office of the Vice President and its partners announced that they would host an online concert on Labor Day to honor healthcare workers for fighting COVID-19.

The online concert titled “Harana: Musical Tribute to Filipino Frontliners” under the OVP’s Istorya ng Pag-asa program will feature artists who volunteered to participate in the musical in support of frontliners.

EDV